Chickpea flour (besan) Stuffed Okra (bhindi)

Ingredients

500g Okra

2 tablespoons Cumin and Coriander powder

1/2 cup Chickpea flour

1 teaspoon Turmeric powder

Salt to taste

1 small Onion

2 Tomatoes 

1-2 green Chillies

1 clove garlic

3 stalks fresh Coriander

2 teaspoons Vegetable  Oil

2 tablespoon Panch phoran spices (can be bought in Indian grocers, else see below for recipe)

Method

1. Wash and dry the okra with a paper or cloth towel. Cut off the top part and tip of the okras. 

1. Make a length-wise slit, without separating the okra in halves

1. Mix the dry spices and flour and set aside.

1. Place the onions, tomatoes, chillies, garlic and coriander with the stems in a food process and grind finely.  Else, chop everything finely.

1. Add to the flour mix with 2 teaspoons of oil, mix to make a thick paste. Fill the okra slits with the spice mix and place in a large container.

1. Put a wide frying pan on the stove, and add 2 tablespoons of oil, when hot add the panch phoran spices

1. Place all the okra in pan with stuff side upwards.  Turn down the heat and cover.  Cook for 10 minutes and turn them over, cover and cook for a further 15 minutes at very low setting.

Panch Phoron Recipe

1 tbsp nigella seeds.
1 tbsp black mustard seeds.
1 tbsp fenugreek seeds.
1 tbsp fennel seeds.
1 tbsp cumin seeds.
Mix and place in a dry container.